Buy My Duck 2007 Winners Announced

Issue Date: - Tuesday, 4 December 2007

A Dylanesque song about being scammed on the Internet, a dramatic film on credit debt and a playful exposé on refunds are among the winners of the Buy My Duck 2007 competition.

Students aged seven to 18 years put their creative skills to the test by creating a "shopping guide" to educate their friends and family about common consumer pitfalls.

The winning entries from Winthrop, Duncraig, Wangara and Bunbury share in a $12,000 prize pool in the school-based competition.

"The entries were very creative with students composing posters, comic strips, miniature books, Internet pages, brochures, power point displays, films and songs to explore consumer protection issues," Consumer Protection Commissioner Patrick Walker said.

"Young consumers are increasingly being targeted by advertisers who see them as a burgeoning and lucrative market. However current research clearly shows that young people have very little knowledge of their rights and responsibilities as consumers, making them particularly vulnerable in the marketplace.

"With the support of Western Australian teachers, this project aims to equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need to become the smart shoppers of the future."

The competition, which attracted 140 entries, was supported by a comprehensive 17-page website that included curriculum-based WA teacher resources and classroom activities.

Winning entries in the five categories each received a $250 shopping voucher and $2,000 for their school's learning centre. A further five entries were awarded a $50 shopping voucher as a commendation for their exceptional work. A metropolitan and a regional schoolteacher each received a $250 shopping voucher for their support of the competition.

Winning entries will be on display for one week in an exhibition on the ground floor foyer of 221 St Georges Terrace from Monday 3 December to Friday 7 December.

This year's Buy My Duck competition builds on the success of the inaugural program in 2006, which was a joint initiative of Revelation Perth International Film Festival and Consumer Protection, and encouraged WA filmmakers to submit short films about the challenges young consumers face today.

Winners of the Buy My Duck 2007 Metropolitan Years 3-5 category

Year 5 Winthrop Primary School students Allan Hou and Tae-Hoon Kim for their power point on how to avoid a scam.

Winners of the Buy My Duck 2007 Metropolitan Years 6-7 category

Year 6 Winthrop Primary School students Wynn Low and Aaraon Musgrave for their animated film entitled Why do you search my bag?

Joint Winners of the Buy My Duck 2007 Metropolitan Years 8-12 category

Duncraig's Year 11 St Stephen's School students Sean O'Brien and Alex Williams for their film entitled Safe Shopping focusing on the subject of refunds, and
Wangara's Filmbites Youth Film School students Samantha Brajdic (Year 8), Jessica Hegarty (Year 11), Hannah Hugessen (Year 11) and Sarah Reynolds (Year 10) for their film entitled Checkmate focusing on the subject of credit card debt.

Winners of the Buy My Duck 2007 Regional Years 8-12 category

Year 10 Bunbury Catholic College students Gerard Mazza, Samuel Wilson, Rowan Brady for their music clip entitled Scammed performed by the Impossible Island Band.

Winners of the Buy My Duck 2007 Teacher Incentive Award

Rensche Diggeden from St Stephen's School in Duncraig and Kieran Noonan from Bunbury Catholic College.

Buy My Duck 2007 Exceptional Work prize

Year 1 Guildford Grammar College student Joseph Banks for his creative illustration on cars to avoid buying;
Year 9 Prendiville College students Jack Johnston and Alex Armstrong for their comic strip on debt traps;
Year 10 Eastern Hills Senior High School students Lucy Smith and Kimberly Baker for their creative guide to buying an iPod;
Year 10 Bunbury Catholic College students Grant Voight, Lauren Dixon and Bree Anna Dorant for their poster on internet scams; and
Year 10 Bunbury Catholic College students Bianca Fish, Demi Williams and Rutendo Kahango for a consumer protection board game.